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Dabbling in duck ID 😉 Druridge Bay Safari 28/02/19
I collected Toni and Tom from Newbiggin and we headed off to explore NEWT’s local patch, Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland… Late winter often features wildfowl expressing their affection, and yesterday was no exception. Drake Goldeneye and drake Red-breasted Mergansers were enthusiastically following ducks around and a violent altercation between two Mute Swans eventually ended…
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Fretting; Otter mini-Safari 24/02/19
I usually say that the only weather condition that isn’t good for wildlife-watching is really strong wind. There is another one though, but it’s pretty infrequent… I collected Barry and Bridie from Warkworth under blue sky and beautiful late winter sunshine and we headed towards Druridge Bay for a few hours. I knew what we…
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Spring has sprung? Otter mini-Safari 23/02/19
After a break from Safaris and blogging, after I was diagnosed with a rare illness last year and had surgery in early January, it was great to be back out in the field with clients yesterday. I collected Paul and Jennifer, Paul and Kirsty and Alastair and Jess from Newbiggin and we set off for…
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A hard act to swallow; Otter Safari 20/11/18
In March last year I was knocked off my bike by a car in Bedlington (which is our local town). The day after the incident, I posted in our local Facebook group, thanking everyone who helped me. “I don’t know if they’re in this group but I’d just like to say a huge thank you…
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Easterlies; Druridge Bay Safari 19/11/18
There was a gentle breeze as I collected Nigel, Corina, Victoria and Rob from Longframlington and we headed towards the coast for a day around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland… Waders and wildfowl were in abundance, as they tend to be in the late autumn. A huge roosting flock of Golden Plover and Lapwing were…
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Mesmerising murmuration; Druridge Bay Bespoke birdwatching 15/11/18
A lot of our clients muse on the possibility of retiring and moving to Northumberland, and John had done just that and booked a bespoke day out with us to explore some of the lesser-known birdwatching sites around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland… With an almost cloudless blue sky and a chill wind we set…
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Fireworks; Bespoke Druridge Bay Safari 04/11/18
If there’s one thing that’s even less predictable than wildlife it’s the weather, so when I collected Ted and Elaine for an afternoon and evening around Druridge Bay searching for Otters, with stargazing planned for the end of the trip, we were at the mercy of both… Dense flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing were…
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Shifting breeze; Bespoke Druridge Bay Safari 17/09/18
Yesterday was a Bespoke Druridge Bay Safari for Russell and Elena and I was glad it was happening before the forecast deterioration in the weather over the next few days. I collected them from Rothbury and we headed towards the coast and an afternoon and evening around NEWT’s local patch, which turned into an enlightening…
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Waiting for the weather; Druridge Bay Bespoke Birdwatching 13/08/18
With a fairly awful weather forecast for Sunday, we’d rescheduled Linda and Peter’s day with NEWT around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland for Monday, where the forecast suggested it would rain until lunchtime and then improve after that… Pre-lunch it was indeed lovely weather for ducks and Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Tufted Duck all…